Water filter recommendations?

[smokinbobf4]

I am completely new to filtering water and am going on my first backcountry 5 day hunt in about a month. 2 of us going in and wondering what the best thing to get for this would be. Sawyer squeeze comes up a lot in my searches. Is that the thing to get or is their something better? Probably don’t need to filter too much with only two of us and would like something lightweight.


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[InteriorAKPopsicle]

I am up in Alaska and I was talking to some sheep hunting “experts” at Barney’s Sports Chalet in Anchorage and they recommend gravity filters. They sell MSR but I am partial to platypus so I bought a 2 L platypus gravity filter system. The water up here is extremely silty and so you have to be very careful because the silt will plug the filter. I’m not sure about down there maybe the pumps would be fine but I decided to go with the 2 L bag filter


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[smokinbobf4]

I looked at those also but just am not sure what is best. There are just too many options!


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[grappling_hook]

Both work great for different uses. If you have a single basecamp site and have time to let bags of water hang to filter while you go do other things, the platypus works great. It's heavier, though; but as mentioned above is good if you are forced to use silty water. Platypus is particularly good if you'll have several people with you using the same water system. If you'll always be on the move, and if it's just 2-3 of you, the squeeze is the better option. It's light, faster than the platypus, and works just fine, but requires active effort to use (not a lot of effort, and not a lot of time). I've used both and would go with the Sawyer Squeeze for backpack alpine hunting, or the platypus for river float hunts or hunts from a set basecamp or truck.

 

[Mosby]

They all work. I have a gravity and it works fine. I also have a Steripen. I take the gravity if it is supposed to be warm and isn't going to be freezing temps. I take the Steripen if it is going to be below freezing cold. Steripen is better in freezing temps. A squeeze or gravity filter will not work if filter freezes. I keep mine in my sleeping bag at night if the temps drop below 32.
I also have pills for back up.

 

[Jhoneyman]

I have used the steripen many times with no ill effect. It is light weight, quick and easy to use. I also always carry tabs for back up just in case battery dies, but never had an issue

 

[JRMiller]

I’ve used the Sawyer Minis for i think over ten years now. No complaints.
I have never used the squeeze as i’ve seen them break.
Rare, but does happen

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Sawyers work well, the minis are slow but work alright.

 

[Artanis95]

I have the Sawyer minis you can screw them on a water bottle or run it inline with a hydration bladder and they're small so I keep a couple as backups, but where I am now there's no shortage of water so instead of packing a bladder with two or three litres of water in it I carry a geo press it's a fast way to purify water and in my opinion tastes better than what comes out of a Sawyer mini and doubles as it's own water bottle.

 

[NCSU_Lewis]

I was pretty set on my MSR hyperflow and not impressed with a sawyer I tried a couple years ago. However, I gave it a shot last year and became a bigger fan. The primary thing that swayed me last year was putting a quick connect on my bladder tube to filter into it without taking the bladder out. But it is lighter, and was just as fast or faster than the katahdin my hunting buddy had.

 

[nettereo16]

Check out Sawyer Micro. new this year. It's larger than the Mini but smaller/lighter than the Squeeze. It's about as easy flow as the Squeeze.

 

[HoosierHunter]

I am using the Sawyer Squeeze. I bought a different bag for it and can now use it as a squeeze or a gravity or inline with camelbak. I just like the wide variety of uses. Actually just did a review on it yesterday on my YouTube channel. Good luck this season.

 

[Jxferg7]

I have used the sterilen/nalgene combo over the last 4 years with no complaints to date.

 

[smokinbobf4]

Can someone tell me the difference between the squeeze, micro, and mini? Probably should just pick one and stop over thinking it, but that’s what the internet does I guess!


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[Drenalin]

The Mini is about an ounce lighter than the Squeeze, but has a significantly slower flow rate. The Micro weighs the same as the Mini, but has about the same flow rate as the Squeeze. The MSRP on the Micro is a little cheaper than the Squeeze. I'd get the Micro, and did, but I wouldn't pass up a sale on a Squeeze either.

Edit to add, I'd plan on replacing the bags that come with these filters. In a very short time, I've come to hate those as well as the Evernew bags due to the difficulty of efficiently filling them with the small opening. Planning to get a CNOC bag to try next.

 

[FS38]

I've just begun using RapidPure products. They claim to purify and work even after freezing!

 

[grappling_hook]

The Mini is about an ounce lighter than the Squeeze, but has a significantly slower flow rate. The Micro weighs the same as the Mini, but has about the same flow rate as the Squeeze. The MSRP on the Micro is a little cheaper than the Squeeze. I'd get the Micro, and did, but I wouldn't pass up a sale on a Squeeze either.

Edit to add, I'd plan on replacing the bags that come with these filters. In a very short time, I've come to hate those as well as the Evernew bags due to the difficulty of efficiently filling them with the small opening. Planning to get a CNOC bag to try next.

As an alternate view, I’ve moved to only using the bags that come with my Sawyer Squeeze as my sole water container. I also don’t lose any water between the dirty water bag and the clean water bag because I don’t manually pour anything. I just connect them using the adapter that comes with the kit to squeeze water directly from the dirty bag to the clean bag. Then I drink from the clean bag. I also put the drinking nozzle on the clean bag. Usually pack one large dirty water bag, one large clean water bag, then two medium clean water bags to drink from during the day. I haven’t done it yet, but if ever needed I think you could put the drinking mouthpiece directly on the squeeze to drink from the dirty bag.

My whole setup with the Squeeze, including dirty water bag, connecting adapter, drinking caps, and three clean water bags is 8oz dry.

 

[HighUintas]

Msr miniworks. Works like a charm.

I also typically have one if those water pouches that has a lifestraw style filter inside attached to the mouth piece. It's a nice quick method for water when I'm in a hurry.

 

[Trevor73402]

I have the mini, the squeeze, and a bottle with a built in filter that seems like it will be very handy on the move. Not sure which one I’ll end up using. I also have a platypus big zip 3L for my pack, but I’m not too crazy about that idea.

 

[rghent]

I second a lot of the comments on the sawyer squeeze setup. I run a 3 liter hydrapak blaster and carry 2x1 liter platypus bags for dirty water, refill the bladder with a quick disconnect so it never leaves my bag unless necessary. Some notes though:

always carry a back up regardless of your purification system, I always have Aqaumira tabs in my kit in case something happens. The whole “2 is 1, 1 is none” thing can’t be more true when it comes to being able to stay hydrated. I usually have a nalgene for mixing water supplements anyways so if my bladder fails I can use and treat water in there.

if you bring a sawyer filter into cold temps make sure you take care it doesn’t freeze which will cause it to fail. Make sure all the water is out of it, keep it inside your pack mid-day or in a puffy if on your body, keep in your sleeping bag with you over night.